Latch releasing door handle



G. v. JAKEWAY. 2,647,783

LATCH 1x1-:LEASING DooR HANDLE Filed Maron 1s, 195o Aug. 4, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

///a//fay Patented ug. 4, 195g' LATCH RELEASING DOOR HANDLE Gerald V. Jakeway, Grand Rapids, Mich., as-

signor to Keeler Brass Company, Grand Rapids.

Mich.

Application March 13, 1950, Serial No. 149,408

which includes a preloaded actuating spring of l sufiicient preloaded tension to normally actuate the latch but which is so associated with other operative parts as to yield when they are subjected to excessive resistance to operations such,

for example, as operation of the handle when the latch is locked.

Third, to provide a door handle which accomplishes these results, is simple and economical to produce and strong and durable.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig, 1 is a fragmentary view mainly in longitudinal section on a line corresponding to line I-I of Fig. 3 with the handle in its normal or unactuated position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view corresponding to that of Fig. 1 with the parts in actuated position and with the latch locked.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary inside view of portions of the structure, a fragment of the door panel being shown.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View mainly in section on a line corresponding to line 4--4 of Figs. l and 5.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, certain of the door parts being shown in section.

In the accompanying drawing, I represents a door having a supporting plate 2 secured to the outer panel 3. The plate 2 has an extension 4 on which the latch mechanism 5 is mounted. This latch mechanism includes a release member 6. As this mechanism forms no part of my present invention it is not illustrated or described herein. It is illustrated for the purpose of showing that conventional lockable latches include parts which may be broken if force is applied to release the latch when it is locked. This is particularly the case in automobile door installations.

rThe latch releasing door handle of the embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises an escutcheon member 'i provided with a bracket 3 disposed through the opening 9 in the plate 2. The escutcheon is secured in the embodiment illustrated by means of the screw I0 arranged through the part l of the door and having threaded engagement with the escutcheon bracket. |The handle designated generally by the numeral I I is provided with an inwardly projecting pivot arm comprising spaced side members I2 pvoted at i3 on the bracket 8.' The arms i2 are provided with spaced stops i4 which coact with the stop I5 on the bracket thus limiting the swing of the handle,

The side members I2 of the inwardly projecting handle arm are connected by the cross members i6 and I l, the cross member I6 being slotted at iii vto receive the arm I 9 on the latch actuating thrust member 2Q, this thrust member being mounted on the pivot I3. The thrust member 20 coacts with the latch actuating element 2| in the form of a plunger which is slotted at 22 to receiveV the member 26, the member 2i) being provided with the seat 23 with which the plunger coacts. The plunger is reciprocatingly supported by the bracket. The coil spring 24 arranged on the plunger 2| acts to return the same and the member 20. The plunger 2I is disposed so as to coact with the latch releasing member 6.

The arm I9 of the thrust member 20 is shouldered at 25 to engage the inner end of the coiled actuating spring 26. This spring is arranged within the handle with its outer end in engagement with the thrust abutment 2l. The stop abutment 28 on the cross member IE confines the spring 26, that is, expansion is limited by the stop abutment-the spring being under tension or preloaded when it is inserted between the thrust abutment and this stop abutment. As stated, the arm IG is movable through the slot I 8 in the cross member I6 as is indicated in Fig. 2 and to keep the spring in proper relation to the end of the arm, the arm is provided with a stud 29 which extends into the spring. The tension of the spring 26 in its preloaded condition exceeds that of the return spring 2B and the normal friction of spring preload of the trip t so that in the operation of the handle, when the latch is unlocked, the actuating member 20 is swung relative to the handle in the position shown in Fig. l and there is no relative movement between the spring 25 and the member 20. However, when the resistance to the plungerZI is increased. as by the locking of the germes latch, and the handle is actuated, as is illustrated in Fig. 2, the spring 25 yields as shown in Fig. 2 thereby preventing the breaking of parts of the latch. When the latch is locked the spring 26 acts to return the handle to its initial position. The spring 2d acts to return the handle to its initial position when the latch is not locked.

The parts of my invention are simple and economical to produce, may be easily assembled and the structure quickly and easily installed on a door. The springs employed are commercial types of coil springs which are readily available. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated the handle is held in normal position when the latch is locked and at the same time the latch cannot be broken by the manipulation of the handle and no repositioning of the handle i is required after the latch is unlocked.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical embodiment thereof. I have not Vattempted to illustrate or describe other modications or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A latch releasing door handle comprising a mounting bracket, a chambered handle provided with an inwardly projecting pivot arm compris ing spaced side members pivotally mounted 'at its inner end on said bracket, a latch actuating plunger reciprocatingly mounted on said bracket, a thrust member for actuating said plunger disposed between said side members ci said handle pivot arm and pivotally mounted on the pivot thereof, said thrust member being provided with a seat for said plunger, the plunger being slotted to receive said thrust member, said thrust member having a rearwardly projecting arm at its outer end terminating in a stud, a coil return spring arranged on said plunger in supported relation to said bracket and in thrust engagement with said thrust member, and a coil actuating spring arranged Within said handle, said handle being provided with a thrust abutment for the outer end of said spring within the handle and with a stop abutment for its inner end, said 'arm on said thrust member being in engagement with the inner end of said spring and movable beyond said stop abutment, the stud on said arm being in retaining engagement within the inner end of the spring, the normal tension of said actuating spring exceeding the normal tension of said return spring.

2. A latch releasing door handle comprising a mounting bracket, a chambered handle provided with an inwardly projecting pivot arm comprising spaced side members pivotally mounted at its inner end on said bracket, a latch actuating plunger reciprocatingly mounted on said bracket, a thrust member for actuating said plunger disposed between said side members of said handle pivot arm and pivotally mounted on the pivot thereof, said thrust member having a rearwardly projecting arm at its outer end, a coil return spring arranged on said plunger in supported relation to said bracket and in thrust engagement with said thrust member, and a coil actuating spring arranged within said handle, said handle being provided with a thrust abutment for the outer end of said spring within the handle and with a stop abutment for its inner end, said arm on said thrust member being in engagement with d the inner end of said spring and movable beyond said stop abutment, the normal tension of said actuating spring exceeding the normal tension of said return spring.

3. A latch releasing door handle comprising in combination a mounting bracket, a handle pivotally mounted thereon and having a hollow grip portion, a latch actuating member pivotally mounted on the pivot axis of said handle, a return spring for said latch actuating member, and a coil actuating spring for said latch actuating member disposed in said grip portion of said handle, said handle being provided with a thrust abutment for the outer end of said spring within said grip portion, and a stop abutment for its inner end, said latch actuating member being provided with an arm projectable into said hollow grip portion of said handle and engaged with the inner end of the spring, the space within the handle permitting lateral swinging movement of the inner end of the spring, said actuating spring being under tension when eng-aged with said thrust stop abutments, such tension exceeding that of the said return spring.

e. A latch releasing door handle comprising in combination a mounting bracket, a handle pivotally mounted thereon and having a hollow grip portion, a latch actuating' member pivotally mounted on the pivot axis of said handle, a return spring for said latch actuating member, and a coil actuating spring for said latch actuating member disposed in said grip portion of said handle, said handle being provided with 'a thrust abutment for the outer end of said spring within said grip portion, and a stop abutment ior its inner end, said actuating spring being under tension when engaged with said thrust stop abutments, such tension exceeding that of the said return spring.

5. A latch releasing door handle comprising in combination a mounting bracket, a handle pivotally mounted thereon and adapted for manipulation of a door on which the handle is mounted, a latch actuating member movably mounted on said bracket, a return spring for said latch actuating member, and an actuating spring disposed within handle, said hane die having a thrust abutment for the outer end of said actuating spring, and a limit stop abutment for its inner end, said latch actuating member having a part engaging said actuating spring and movable beyond said stop abutment against the tension oi said actuating spring, the normal thrust of the actuating spring against its said stop abutment exceeding the tension of said return spring but permitting the movement of the actuating member against said actuating spring when the resistance of the latch actuating member exceeds the thrust of the ac .rating spring.

6. A latch releasing door handle comprising' in combination a mounting bracket, a handle pivotally mounted thereon, a latch actuating member pivotally mounted on said bracket, a return spring for said latch actuating member, and an actuating spring carried by said handle, said handle being provided with a limit stop abutment for said actuating spring, said return spring acting to hold said actuating member in engagement with said actuating spring when the actuating spring is in engagement with the said stop abutment, the normal thrust or" the actuating spring against its said stop abutment exceeding the tension of said return spring, the actuating' spring yielding when the resistance on the latch actuating member exceeds the normal tension of the actuating spring.

'7. A latch releasing door handle comprising a mounting bracket, a chambered handle swingably mounted thereon, a latch actuating member swingably mounted on said bracket and providedwith a return spring, and an elongated helically coiled latch actuating spring disposed longitudinally Within said handle, said handle being provided with a stop abutment for the inner end of said actuating spring, the tension of said actuating spring when engaged with said stop abutment being such as to actuate said latch actuating member against the tension of its rreturn spring in the normal actuation of said latch actuating member, said actuating spring yielding when the resistance on the latch actuating member exceeds the tension of the actuating spring when it is engaged with its stop abutment.

8. A latch releasing door handle comprising a mounting bracket, a handle swingably mounted thereon and having an elongated cylindricallike chamber therein, a latch actuating member movably mounted on said bracket, a return spring for said latch actuating member, and a helically coiled actuating spring for said latch actuating member disposed in and extending longitudinally of said chamber to receive at one end thereof the latch actuating thrust, said handle being provided with a stop abutment for said actuating spring, the wall of said chamber closely surrounding the end of the spring opposite from the rst mentioned end thereof to support the closely surrounded end against lateral displacement, the normal tension of the actuating spring when in engagement with said stop abutment exceeding the tension of said return spring said handle being engageable for pulling open a door, said actuating spring being disposed relative to said handle to be actuated by swinging movement of the handle to actuate said actuating member against the thrust of said return spring.

9. A latch releasing door handle comprising a supporting bracket, a handle provided with a chambered grip portion and with an inwardly projecting pivot arm mounted on said bracket. a movably mounted latch actuating element, actuating connections therefor to said handle comprising a helically coiled spring disposed longitudinally Within said grip portion of said handle, a pivotally mounted thrust member disposed between said spring and said latch actuating element, and a return spring for said latch actuatingelement of such tension as to return the 6 handle and the thrust member to retracted position.

10. A latch releasing door handle comprising a supporting bracket, a door handle pivotally mounted thereon, a latch actuating plunger reciprocatingly mounted on said bracket and provided With a thrust collar at its outer end, a return spring for said plunger mounted thereon in engagement with said thrust collar, a pivotally mounted thrust member having thrust engagement with said plunger, and a coil actuating spring disposed within said handle and in thrust engagement with said thrust member.

11. A latch releasing door handle for lockable latches comprising a swingable handle provided with a chambered grip, a latch actuating means, a return spring therefor, and a coil spring disposed longitudinally within said handle grip portion in the chamber thereof, one end of said spring being in coacting operating relation with said latch actuating means to actuate the same through the actuation of the handle when the latch actuating means is subject to normal resistance and yielding when the resistance to its actuation is such as would desult from a locked latch, the wall of the chamber in said grip portion being cylindrical-like and closely surrounding the end of the spring opposite from the first mentioned end to support the closely surrounded end against lateral displacement, said handle being engageable for pulling open a door and being swingable to actuate said coil spring disposed therein to actuate said latch actuating means against the thrust of said return spring.

12. A latch releasing door handle comprising a supporting bracket, a handle provided with a chambered grip portion and an inwardly projecting pivot arm mounted on said bracket, a latch actuating element, a return spring therefor, a thrust member pivotally mounted on said bracket, the pivot axis of which coincides with that of the handle pivot arm, and a coil spring disposed longitudinally of the grip portion in the chamber thereof with one end thereof in thrust engagement with the thrust member and the other in supported engagement with the handle, the wall of the chamber in said grip portion being cylindrical-like and closely surrounding the last mentioned end of the spring to support the same against lateral displacement.

GERALD V. J AKEWAY.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,228,574 Raymond Jan. 14, 1941 2,232,628 North Feb. 18, 1941 2,514,448 Jakeway July 11, 1950 2,573,679 Allen Nov. 6, 1951 

